“I’m still not convinced America is ready to have a Windows PC running its collective house, even if it does have ‘the power to change your living room and your life.’ People deal with Windows all day,” Brian L. Clark writes for Gizmodo. “Do they really want the same headaches in the on/off world of home entertainment?”
“Bill Gates disagrees with me of course. At this year’s CES, the Lord of Redmond proclaimed that in 2006, “the realization of Windows Media Center as a volume mainstream product will really be clear to everyone in the marketplace.” Uh, maybe. A more likely scenario, according to analysts and online rumormongers, is that Media Center functionality will just be folded into Vista, Microsoft’s latest OS, scheduled to hit the market later this year. Then people can choose to use or ignore it,” Clark writes. “Personally, I’m still banking on the King of Cupertino to release his own, full-fledged media center. Given that so many people are comfortable with the iPod and its intuitive, easy-to-learn interface, it’s a smart bet Apple will be able to sachet right into the digital living room. And who knows, now that Intel’s inside, maybe Viiv will come along for the ride.”
Full article here.
[Brian L. Clark is a reporter and consultant on all things digital, runs the The Tech Enthusiast’s Network, and writes for Money, Men’s Health, and Laptop.]
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NY Times: Can Steve Jobs put Apple in the center of your living room? – March 22, 2004
